Did my ocellated dragonets lay eggs!?!

[small alien]

I have a harem of 1 male and 3 females. They've been in a small tank for a few months together. I've had the male nearly two years.

So, my wife said she saw them swimming together like they were hooked together one evening last week. I'm assuming it was spawning behavior which I expected to see eventually but I pretty much left it at that.

Tonight, among a sea of cyano, I see this little pile of pinkish/orange translucent balls. Just sitting there. They're about 1/8th inch in diameter and there are probably 20-25 of them. They do not blow away in the flow so seem to be in some kind of goo or what have you. Here's a pick. I darkened it a little for more definition so the color isn't true.

Anyone have any idea if this could be dragonet eggs? I'm sorry but that would be too cool! Here's the shot.

 

[small alien]

broader shot. The little mound is probably an inch across.

 

[billsreef]

Dragonets are broadcast spawners with pelagic eggs, so you normally wouldn't find clumps of eggs like that. It is possible that for whatever reason, such as eddies in the tanks currents, that they could have aggregated together.

 

[small alien]

Thanks. Does that seem about the right size and look to be dragonet eggs?

That's the only species in the tank with male and female so I can't imagine what else they could be.

Thanks.

 

[jhawkor]

Dragonetes are pelagic spawners. Their eggs float and are VERY tiny, around 1mm.

Here's a page about mandarin spawning-http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=176&t=128

 

[small alien]

Thanks. Then what the heck are those things?!?

 

[bimmerzs]

Thanks. Then what the heck are those things?!?

:wavehand: Maybe........smaller aliens. Sorry....couldn't help myself. :rollface:

Cheers,

 

[gpsmart]

Do you have any Banggai Cardinals in the tank? They look to be about the right size etc. If not, then what else do you have in the tank? Fish don't necessarily need to be paired to spawn. I have had a couple of occasions where a single fish has spawned without a mate.

Graham

 

[billsreef]

There is nothing in the photo to use for a decent size comparison. How big are those?

 

[gpsmart]

Bill,

He said they are about 1/8th inch in diameter. That puts them about the right size for Banggai's and they do look similar to Banggai eggs. Of course I could be completely wrong but we can try to work that out when we know what is in the tank.

Graham

 

[small alien]

I do have a single bangaii. Would it lay sterile eggs?

 

[small alien]

:wavehand: Maybe........smaller aliens. Sorry....couldn't help myself. :rollface:

Cheers,

If aliens ever laid tiny eggs in my tank, well, I'm just not sure how I would cope with that.:hmm1:

 

[gpsmart]

I have seen that in some of my dottybacks. I had two golden dottybacks in a tank together both laying unfertilized eggs until they sorted out who was going to be the male. I have also had a diadem dottyback laying eggs with no mate in the tank (the vicious little bugger killed it well before it layed the eggs). Looking at your list of fish I would think it is most likely that they are unfertilized Banggai eggs.

Graham

 

[small alien]

Neat! Thanks.